Back in Tuscaloosa, AL, David Henry and a friend made a deal. His friend would join David's volunteer fire department, and David would join his friend in the Army. They ended up deploying together, with David serving as a combat medic. During his deployment, David was part of small team that treated soldiers in the war's most remote and treacherous areas. He routinely went where few medics would go in order to save the lives of his fellow service members. As David simply put it, "Where my guys go, I go."
So it comes as no surprise to David's wife, Jade, that he would make it his mission to help wounded veterans. She nominated David because, in her words, he's "always, always wanting to help people." David met Jade while home between deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they now have two sons. David coaches his son's youth football team, passing on to the players his belief that "You never quit."
Today David is a full-time Fire Medic, constantly learning and expanding his skill set in order to provide better treatment on the job. He's also a District Captain of the Patriot Guard Riders, greeting returning troops and forming honor guards at military burials.
David battles lower back pain due to his time served as a combat medic, but he never lets that slow him down. "I push on. I work through it." His passion and persistence keep him going, molding young minds and being there for vets and their families.